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Alexander Techinque


Palestrina

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I did some at University - some time ago now but the tutor concerned had problems as she could not quite work out posture etc. as far as an organist was concerned. 'Something to do with the varying positions when pedalling.

 

AJJ

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I did some at University - some time ago now but the tutor concerned had problems as she could not quite work out posture etc. as far as an organist was concerned. 'Something to do with the varying positions when pedalling.

 

AJJ

 

Funny you should mention pedalling, because that is where I had some difficulties applying the technique this afternoon! Has anybody overcome these difficulties? Are there other aspects of the Alexander Technique that organists can still use?

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Funny you should mention pedalling, because that is where I had some difficulties applying the technique this afternoon! Has anybody overcome these difficulties? Are there other aspects of the Alexander Technique that organists can still use?

I think, the key attitude of FM Alexander is: Try to find the reasons for problems somewhere where you would not expect them to be. For myself, I found out, that singing along with the congregation while accompaning makes problems to me. I did it in my last position, where there was a small church and partially poor singing, so I wanted to help out. But to transpose down the improvised harmonisations (the Schnitger organ has a' at 469 Hz), fighting interferences with my perfect pitch and trying to read the subsequent verses printed below the chant caused a sort of singing which made my breath leave any natural flow, my body lost flexibility, my back lost upright position, and wrong notes became more and more, when that bad posture caused more and more unwanted "neighbouring" notes, as my fingers had to serve as static devices, too....

So, for me, it would just need a large sign an the desk "Do not sing with them!!!" to reduce any posture problems and subsequent problems of hymn voicing slipped notes...

Now at my new post being away at least 20 meters from the first congregation member (see pic below...), singing along has become senseless anyway, so I hope to get rid of this use as soon as possible....

(My applause goes to swedish organists, where it is a "must" to sing with the congregation at least in smaller churches, otherwise they would not start....)

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